The ExChristian.Net blog exists for the express purpose of encouraging those who have decided to leave Christianity behind. This area contains articles sent in between January 2001 and February 2010. To view recent posts, click on the "Home" link.

ARCHIVES:

The True Christian

By billybee

According to recent statistics, there exists approximately 4,684 different denominations, groups or sects of Christianity in America.

I think it fair to assume that most -- if not all -- of these different and distinct faith-based groups possess what they believe to be a substantially clear understanding of the book they present as an authentic message from the single most powerful being in the universe.

There exists approximately 4,684 different denominations, groups or sects of Christianity in America.Understandably these various groups consider this message (when correctly understood) to be the most important collection of ideas to which the human race has ever had access. Therefore, it is not only their strong desire, but it is their duty and obligation to see that this message is delivered to all human kind.

The method of transmission of the message is extremely varied. The components of the message are extremely varied. Usually, however, there is one factor that appears to be common among most (if not all) carriers of this special proclamation. That common factor is a nearly universal mind-set that their group has the best, most correct and truest understanding of the message. This not-so-subtle attitude of superiority may remain mostly unspoken by the group members, but then at other times, this faith-fed confidence will surface, causing rise to division and mistrust between the groups of people who might actually be seeking the same ultimate goal.

When a Christian religious leader, like Dr. James Dobson, accuses Barrack Obama of not being a "true" Christian, Dobson provides himself as a perfect example of the person described in the previous paragraph. Dobson, in my humble opinion, could be unintentionally contributing to the erosion of the religion that he mistakenly believes he is trying to protect and nurture.

I will assume, of course, that Dobson and the members of his flock might strongly disagree. As for the other 4,683 possible points of view, I will not even begin to speculate.

37 comments:

An excellent article on just this topic came out in TIME magazine. Here's an interesting quote from the article: "The Democratic candidate has also been an outspoken critic of what could be termed "certainty" theology — the idea that real Christians have no doubts about their rightness. "

Dobson, in my humble opinion, could be unintentionally contributing to the erosion of the religion that he mistakenly believes he is trying to protect and nurture.

Yes, sweet irony!

The philosophy that claims to be immovable and "unchanging" has clearly changed, and continues to change, and thus, this progession could eventually lead to a strain of Christianity that is so anti-exclusive, so culturally passive, that it could feasibly end up being something as casual as a life-style choice(not in our lifetimes, of course).

But again, the irony is that it's those fundamentalist Christians who defend the bible by maintaining that it is the Universal unwaivering "truth", who are the catalyst for Christianity's "make-over".

Reasonable, intelligent adults don't have any choice but make their own version of Christianity, or deny it altogether, both of which are what we see happening before our very eyes!

Dan said, Did you read that 1 out of 5 atheists still believe in God? I have something about it at my new blog called Debunking Atheists.

...And 1 out of 1 atheists still don't believe in the absurdity of christianity. 1 out of 1 atheists believe you are a delusional asshole. 1 out of 1 atheists know you are trying to reel in people to your floundering blog and, from this site, 1 out of 1 atheists have enough sense not to support your infantile and delusional blog.

Thanks for making my point boomslang. The existence of real atheists out there, figures of 5%, are much lower then that. So the people out there that are claiming your religion of secular humanism is actually closet believers.

The Christians that are letting you all just take over our education system and such are going to be in a huge surprise when the get to heaven and Jesus says "I never knew you"

Dr. Martin Luther King's quotes that said it best was:

"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

Lol. Forgive me, but I fail to see what "point" it is that "I've made" that either helps the Christian position, or hurts the Atheist position. In other words, Starvin' Marvin, so-the-fuck-what even if there really were a small percentage of "closet-believers" out there who don't know the definition of "Atheism", which of course, is the lack of belief in conscious, invisible beings...aka 'Gawd'. For all you know, they are "closet Muslims"; "closet Buddhists"; "closet Deists", or closet believers of some other religion.

You ignorantly continue...The existence of real atheists out there, figures of 5%, are much lower then that. So the people out there [who] are claiming your religion of secular humanism is actually closet believers.

Let's say it's 1% Atheist, okay Einstein? Now, firstly, truth is not determined by popular vote, as seen when we consider that the majority of the world's population at one time believed such things as the earth was geocentric, and that illness was caused by evil spookies. Secondly, you are extremely naive if you think that if the world were eliminated of Atheists, that you and your Christian brethren's problems would be over. I mean, come on, you can't even decide amongst yourselves who the "True Christians" are, or what your Holy handbook says. Not-to-mention, the fast growing, ever-anti-Christian Islamic "Faith" that you have to share the planet with.(until one of you decide to blow it up)

Quote: "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

Um, the present day "great conflict" is between the montheistic super-Faiths. Honestly, do you think our "Christian Nation" is fighting "Islamic Atheists" right now? Are Catholics fighting "Protestant Atheists" in Ireland?

Dan said... Did you read that 1 out of 5 atheists still believe in God--Dan,

It might make sense for a doubting xtian to keep on proclaiming their god belief, just to maintain the status-quo of their lifestyle, to keep the xtian friends they have formed, to keep the peace within their family etc.. Many ex-xtians did just this very thing, until they could stand it no longer.

Why would a doubting atheist proclaim there is no god, while believing that god may exist?It's not like we have "churches of atheism", where one might be excommunicated for having a doubt about god not existing.Such a person would not call themselves an "atheist" but might chose instead the terms agnostic or deist, therefore, wherever you found that information, they are misinformed.

Now please go back under your rock while pondering what you've just been told in comments here....thanks

ATF (Who still finds it hard to believe that Dan still can't face reality, after all the many things he's been taught right here by various members)

Only 4,600-odd flavours of xianity? I would have guessed it was at least 10 times that many.

And DAN thus Spake:The Christians that are letting you all just take over our education system and such are going to be in a huge surprise when the get to heaven and Jesus says "I never knew you"

First, the big surprise is going to be when they die and find out there isn't anything beyond death. Oh, wait, they'll be dead, too bad there won't be enough time for a "WTF???" moment to slip in...

Second, when it comes to "taking over" our schools, I think the Fundy Flat-Earthers are more guilty of that, i.e. Dover and that Jindal idiot in LA.Our schools are already producing some of the dumbest people in the world, so having to waste short resources and time on teaching the Xian faerie-tale will just hasten the coming of the Idiotcracy...

Dan, I took a look at your blog, but wish that I had not done so. Your comments on the late George Carlin are truly shameful. Oh, what a fine example of "Christian love" you set -- Exploiting a fine man's death for an altar call.

My little homespun theory is that once Jesus didn't show up at midnight on 01-01-1999, and after the last eight years of King George, the hard-core Xtians had to actually start to realize that they might be way too far to the right.Today McCain is courting guys like Franklin Graham because the 'Moral Majority" is defunked and Dobson is a shell of what that movment use to represent.Christianity is evolving quicker than you can say;"No more purgatory".

Even in spite of the YEARS and YEARS of childhood indoctrination, terrorization and neurotic reaction that sent me into my former lifestyle of alcoholism, I can PROUDLY say; mark my name in the column under "ATHEIST"....sorry, douche, er...I mean...DAN.

Just filled with all kinds of goofy christian apologetic claptrap too. But, I will not post there uninvited. Even if I did I might get deleted for being too "crass" and "antagonistic".

"... if you are really interested in seeking truth. Or are you seeking like minded people for validation of your beliefs?"

Are you serious? Haven't you been paying attention? You have been asked many times to tell the truth and what we get from you is unsupported assertations, biases, faulty logic, and lies. And thats only what you give us when you decide to not ignore the questions being asked to you. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on your freshly spanked buttocks.

According to Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in 2006 there were 38,000 christian denominations worldwide. Many of these denominations hold conflicting views over doctrines that are considered to be necessary conditions for salvation. In other words you can call yourself a christian and still go to hell.

Christian in-fighting over "orthodoxy" always cracks me up. Dobson, Hanegraaf, Land and other "keepers of the correct interpretation of a translated text, translated many times over,stitched together throughout the ages by multiple authors and interpolated at different historical moments according to the political climate of the times"...crack me up. When the coffers begin to dry up, Dobson et. al. pick on other "fake" Christian movements such as the Word of Faith folks. It's nice to know that Divine Revelation or bewildering godspeak has its stalwart defenders of the "literal" sense. LOL!!!

Dan,First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the birth of your new son. I am a father myself and I know what being a parent means.

I was raised as a Southern Baptist. All it did was cause me years of mental anguish and resentment towards my parents for doing it to me. The cycle of sin, repentance, guilt, unanswered prayers, and low self-esteem, was simply too much for me to handle.

At the age of 19, I bailed from Christianity and joined the world of reason, where things are governed by natural laws and the choices of humans. Becoming an atheist was like being released from prison. Atheism was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I hope you reconsider your intentions of raising your children Christian. Children have very vivid imaginations, and often have trouble distinguishing reality from imagination. Instilling them with images of a suffering Jesus, a fear of demons and eternity in hell can truly inhibit their emotional development - as it did mine. It has taken years for me to get over the brainwashing that I received as a child.

I remember my grandmother telling my mother, "Raise your children with Jesus and He'll be with them all theirs lives," which is tantamount to saying, "Brainwash them when they're young and they'll never be able to get over it." Thanks, Grandma!

Do you want to do this to your children? Do you want them to be unable to distinguish fantasy from reality? Do you want to stunt their emotional growth?

As for my children, they will be raised on science, history, and literature. I will not expose them to any religion whatsoever. If, after they get older, they want to explore religion, I will let them do so - with my remonstrations. It is their prerogative, but no brainwashing will go on in my house.